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Tuesday, 8 January 2019

2018 was a year of change for me. Last October I took a 12
month career break from being an accountant to enable me to focus on my
writing, and I moved to the South Coast to live by the ocean for a few months
while I finish my novel. This truly is living my dream. However, there is one
slight snag…

Like Cinderella, my fairy tale comes with an expiration
date. At the end of September the clock will strike midnight and I will return
to my old life and my old job.

So this means I have 9 months left to live my dream, and I
am making the most of every moment!

To be honest moving down here hasn’t turned out to be
anything like I expected. But then assumptions are so very often wrong:

Assumption 1

I would be so lonely living miles away from everyone I know,
that after one month I would be heading home.

The reality however, is that I’ve already been here 3 months
and I never want to leave. I’ve made some fantastic new friends and have joined
two local RNA chapters. Don’t get me wrong, I miss my family and friends back
home, but we keep in touch and I have no shortage of visitors. I’m assuming
that is down to my sparkling personality and how much they miss me, and is absolutely
nothing to do with the stunning sea view from my apartment…. Hmmm….

Assumption 2

With no job to go to or friends to meet I would become a
recluse, shut away in my apartment all alone.

However, I spend less time indoors and get more exercise
than I ever have before. I mean let’s face it, there is a beach right outside
my door, and it would be unthinkable not to go for daily walks along it. But
perhaps what’s more surprising is that I bought a bike. I now go cycling along
the promenade every chance I get, which given my usually lack of enthusiasm for
anything remotely sporty is quite astounding. Particularly as I hadn’t even
ridden a bike since I was 10 years old. It however turns out that the old adage
about never forgetting how to ride a bike is true. But that doesn’t necessarily
mean I remember how to ride well…

Assumption 3

I would retain my well-structured and disciplined approach
to my work. I have always been an early riser and like to get my work done
without procrastinating or getting distracted.

Until now.

Did I mention there’s a beach….?

Apparently structure and organisation have taken an extended
vacation. I blame the sea air. My day is now determined by the weather and the
tides. I take advantage of any sunny day to get out and explore. Which leaves
the rainy, cold and windy days for staying indoors to write. Don’t worry, there
are plenty of those, this is winter in England after all.

But challenging my assumptions is all part of the adventure.
After all the point of a fairy tale is to live a different kind of life. How
often to any of us get chances like this? Even if there is a ticking clock
counting down, right now this life and this amazing apartment are mine and that’s
what matters.

About Me

Aspiring writer, RNA NWS member, Mslexia blogger, amateur figure skater and complete neat freak.
Elaina James is an accountant with a preference for words.
She’s a reluctant gardener, in fact she’s really not much of an outdoors kind of girl at all, unless there’s a beach involved and then just try and stop her.
You can always tell how many writing projects she has underway, by the size of her handbag. Each project is kept in its own note pad and carried with her in the ever increasing collection in her bag. Of course this could just be a clever ploy to buy more handbags…